The Past is Done
by Nintendo Nut1
Summary: A hero awakens in a new world after his centurylong imprisonment...Everything he knows and loves is gone...Swept away beneath the ocean tides...My first Wind Waker fic, so NO FLAMES!


A/N: I never thought I would ever do a Wind Waker fic, since the game is an epic itself. But then I got inspired when I thought about what happened to the Hero of Time(I was HOPING for an explanation in the WW but received none whatsoever), and I came up with this. It's super dramatic, but enjoy it anyway. NO FLAMES!!!! AND I MEAN IT!!!  
  
The Past is Done  
  
When Ganon escaped from his imprisonment, he spread his wrath across Hyrule once more. The people waited for the Hero of Time to arrive and save them once again.  
  
But he did not appear.  
  
So where did the hero disappear to? Did he leave the land? Or was he under the influences of evil? No one knew. No one. . . until now.  
  
(100 years ago, when Hyrule still existed. . .)  
  
Link sat lazily among a tree's branches, sharpening his knife silently. Seven years had passed since he defeated Ganondorf, and six since he saved Termina from the Majora Mask. Peace was destined to reign in his world for a time. But when would this peace end? He had a strong feeling it would be soon, as he began feeling sudden shifts in the winds recently. Strange winds with a force behind them he couldn't recognize. Still, it was unsettling, and he didn't like it one bit. Something was going to happen very soon. He could feel it.  
  
That's when suddenly, the wind howled like an angry beast and strong gusts of wind blew around his position. He sat up tensely, preparing for anything. Winds like these weren't natural!  
  
Then suddenly, a blast set his very position on fire, and the tree he was on engulfed in flames. Luckily he had leaped out of the branches in time to avoid the flames. Before he could even turn to face whatever caused this, a blast of some matter pierced into every fiber of his body, nearly tearing his very soul apart. He let out a cry in pain, then collapsed to the grassy ground, his body aching. Before he passed out of consciousness, he looked up through blurry vision at a dark, ominous figure that stood over him against the suddenly dark skies.  
  
Was it. . . No! It couldn't be who he thought it was! But Link didn't have time to consider this as blackness consumed him. . .  
  
----------  
  
The dark figure stood outside a tall, gray tower that seemed to hold up the sky. He looked up and down the holy Tower of the Gods, an evil grin forming on his face. Over his shoulder he held the unconscious hero as easily as his strength allowed it. He had a wicked plan for this cursed Hero of Time, and when he was gone, Hyrule would be his.  
  
Entering the front doorway, the evil being climbed up the tower until he reached the highest and largest chamber. Against the walls were large pictographs and statues of the gods in their most wrath-filled forms. One space of the wall was empty, reserved especially for his purpose. It wasn't meant for evil's purposes, but that didn't matter.  
  
He heard a groan from behind his head. The hero was waking up. Perfect timing. . . He'd be lucky enough to witness the power of his enemy before he became a victim of it.  
  
With that, he simply dropped the hero onto the cold, stone ground. He grunted in pain as he landed roughly, but the evil one didn't care at all in the matter as he faced the wall and spoke in a voice as heavy as lead.  
  
"Gods!! Hear me and tremble!! Your petty attempts to seal me have failed, and I stand before you now with your pathetic hero at my feet!!"  
  
Slowly looking up, Link quickly realized where he was and who stood above him. In rage, he leaped up and attempted to tackle his most hated enemy, but the hulking figure did not waiver! He brushed Link off like a flea and continued.  
  
"Too long have I wanted Hyrule under MY rule, and too long have you pit me against this weak excuse for a hero!! And now, tremble at my mighty power that even surpasses yours!!"  
  
The pictographs and Hylian writing on the wall began to glow brightly, almost angrily. Link had a bad feeling about this, and stumbled to his feet, trying to run for the exit.  
  
"Using the power of the gods, I shall trap your pathetic Hero of Time within your own walls so that no one can stop me on my path to the destruction of Hyrule!!!"  
  
He gestured a finger to Link, who had almost escaped. He suddenly froze in his steps, glowing bright colors and being levitated into the air by an unseen force. Link struggled to resist this force, but his efforts were futile. There was a bright flash, and another cry of pain, and the young hero hovered motionless inside a giant crystal, trapped, just as the evil one intended. The crystal then dissolved into the walls, and where the blank wall was, a pictograph of the hero inside the crystal appeared with new writing below it. The curse had worked. Link was trapped within the Tower of the Gods.  
  
And now, he was out of the way. The path to Hyrule was clear to the evil one. Above his hand floated a small piece of the Triforce, the one he had sapped from the hero in the process of his imprisonment. It suddenly shattered into eight pieces that scattered across Hyrule. The evil one growled, as he did not expect the Triforce piece to shatter, but that didn't matter. He simply had to regain the pieces, and then he could rule Hyrule with an iron fist. And there was no blasted Hero of Time to get in his way!  
  
Everything was going according to plan. . .  
  
Of course, unknown to him, that plan would fail in the course of a century. . .  
  
(The Present, after Ganondorf is dealt with. . .)  
  
The large pirate ship was docked at Windfall Island, unknown to the locals. The pirates, as ordered by Miss Tetra, stayed inside the ship and slept inside. Nearby was another, smaller boat, a red one with a lion's head engraved in the front. The one who owned this boat was inside the ship, sleeping below the decks with the burly pirates that had quickly become his companions.  
  
The young boy, named Link, slept peacefully in a sleep well deserved. Not long ago had he confronted Ganondorf himself, learned the fate of Hyrule, and watched it drown in the depths of the ocean. Deciding thereafter that adventure was the life for him, he sailed on with Tetra (who was formally Princess Zelda as they had discovered) and the pirates and left his home of Outset Island to travel with a new band of friends at his side. Tetra became his closest companion quite quickly, as if that wasn't obvious, but all that mattered to Link right now was sleep. Peaceful sleep. . .  
  
But he couldn't even get that, as a sudden dream interrupted his dreamless sleep. And it seemed to have a purpose behind it. . .  
  
----------  
  
"Well, here we are. . ."  
  
Link and Tetra stood in the halls of the Tower of the Gods silently. Tetra, who had just spoken, looked around as if searching for something. Link did as well, but stopped briefly to smile at Tetra.  
  
"Thanks for convincing your pirates to sail here."  
  
(Flashback)  
  
"B-but Miss Tetra!" Gonzo stuttered, not believing what his leader was telling him. "You BELIEVE him!? It was just a dream!"  
  
"Is there something wrong with that!?" Tetra barked.  
  
"N-n-no. . ." He sank back in defeat.  
  
"I thought so!" She turned to her crew. "Ready the ship! We sail south for the Tower of the Gods!"  
  
The crew stared at each other, then shouted in unison, "YES, MA'AM!!!"  
  
(End Flashback)  
  
Tetra smiled. "Yeah, they'll listen if you convince them enough."  
  
"But you were too understanding. It kinda scared me a little."  
  
Tetra chuckled briefly. "Yeah, well. . . To be honest. . . I had a dream too. . . Really similar to yours. . ."  
  
Link blinked. "You did?"  
  
"Yeah, and it looked important, so I followed through with it."  
  
"I see. . . Let's head up to the top chamber. The dream had something to do with the boss room up there."  
  
Tetra nodded, and they climbed up the tall tower to the chamber where Link had proved his strength not too long ago. The statue he fought sat against the wall, motionless.  
  
The second they entered, the statues in the room trembled and rose, levitating around the room to begin a secret ritual. Not wanting to disturb anything, Link and Tetra stood back near the doorway, watching the spectacle in wonder and silence. Link caught the sight of a strange pictograph on the wall ahead of them. It was of like many of the pictures of the Hero of Time, yet in this one he was inside a giant crystal. The statues seemed to float around this pictograph in particular.  
  
Now why hadn't he noticed it there before. . .?  
  
Suddenly, a deep voice echoed across the large chamber. "Hero of Time! A century ago you were imprisoned in these walls by Ganon! Now he has been defeated once more by the Hero of Winds, and his curse shall be lifted away, and you shall be free once more!!"  
  
The pictograph and writing on the wall began to glow brightly, and a beam of light blasted out of the picture. From the blinding light, a figure emerged from the walls, floating inside a giant crystal. The light died down, and has features became clear.  
  
He was a young man in his teenage years, strangely taller than any adult would grow up to be. He wore a tunic that closely resembled Link's, and long, golden bangs hung down in front of his closed eyes. The two below gaped in amazement.  
  
"Is. . . Is that. . . the legendary Hero of Time?" Tetra whispered.  
  
The echoing voice continued. "And now the Hero of Winds shall use the Wind Waker to free you from your crystal prison!"  
  
The statues abruptly turned to the two below. Link yelped at the sudden movement, but brought out the tiny baton slowly, looking at it hesitantly. Tetra pushed him forward gently until he stood in the dead center of the chamber. He looked up at the hero in awe. To think he was about to free the very Hero of Time. . . He could barely keep his hand steady as he raised the Wind Waker.  
  
With a trembling hand, he conducted the Wind's Requiem as shown on the floor below his feet. The crystal glowed and shattered into a million pieces, and the hero dropped to the floor. Link and Tetra rushed to the unconscious hero's side and glanced him over in awe.  
  
"It. . . It's really him. . ." Link whispered. "Wow. . ."  
  
"So that's why he didn't come. . ." Tetra mused. "Ganondorf trapped him inside this tower before he attacked Hyrule. The hero didn't come. . . because he was trapped here."  
  
"Look, he's waking up!"  
  
The hero groaned and slowly opened his eyes, which were as blue as the ocean waves. He looked up at the two weakly, and in a breathy voice, asked, "W-where is. . . he?"  
  
The two looked at each other, puzzled. "Er. . ." Tetra began.  
  
"Ganon has been defeated," The voice continued. "He is at the bottom of the ocean, defeated by the Hero of Winds."  
  
"Huh!?" The hero sat up suddenly, staring up at the floating statue. "Ocean!? Hero of Winds!? What--!?"  
  
A beam of rainbow-colored light appeared from the floor. "Step into the beam, Hero of Time, and all will be told. Everything you have missed in your imprisonment will be revealed to you."  
  
Slowly, the hero stood and stared at the beam of light. Then he stepped into the beam and listened to a voice only he could hear and saw images only he could see. When it was over, the light disappeared, and he stood there, left in dreaded shock.  
  
"No. . ." he whispered. "No, it can't be. . ."  
  
"Hyrule is gone, Hero of Time. Swept away by the ocean tides."  
  
"Gone. . ." The hero repeated softly, "Everything. . . gone. . ." His voice began to crack, and the loss then hit him at full force. "NO!!" he cried in agony, collapsing to his knees and buried his face in his hands, silently sobbing. His home and everything he knew was gone. Destroyed in the floods.  
  
Link and Tetra stood there, staring at the miserable hero. Link became concerned for the poor hero, for he understood the loss somewhat after almost losing his sister. Link approached him slowly and cautiously. Now that he was closer, he could see the hero's bitter tears and hear the soft names he murmured over and over as he continued in his anguish.  
  
Link slowly, almost hesitantly, placed a gentle hand on the hero's shoulder, and the silent cries instantly stopped. The hero looked up at him through watery, distraught eyes. He felt a movement on the other side of him and looked over to face Tetra. He looked at her curiously.  
  
"Zelda. . .?"  
  
Link gasped. "He knows! He can see through your disguise, Tetra!"  
  
Tetra looked down at him in shock, then yelped when he wrapped his arms around her frantically, burying his face in her shirt.  
  
"Oh, Zelda, tell me it isn't so!" he begged. "Tell me Hyrule isn't gone, please!"  
  
"It is so, Hero of Time," The voice finished. "And these two shall show you." With that, the statues settled back in their place and fell silent.  
  
The two looked at each other, then back down at the hero, who looked back silently. They nodded, got the hero back onto his feet, and lead him outside the door onto the outside path overlooking the oceans. The hero peered out into the distance, seeing a few islands here and there, but other than that, nothing but water. He was silent, staring off aimlessly. Finally, he sighed heavily in defeat.  
  
"It's true. . ." he said softly. "Hyrule is gone. . ."  
  
Tetra looked up at the hero, then crossed her arms. "Well, yes, but life still goes on, hero! You could start a new life here, above the waters! You could travel with us! I have a ship, and a crew! Okay, so they're pirates, but I'll make sure they'll make you feel welcome! Come on, what do you say?"  
  
The hero looked down at Tetra, and sadly smiled. "Thank you for the generous offer, but no."  
  
Tetra did a double take. "W-what!? No!? But. . .!"  
  
"What's the point?" he sighed, stepping away from the rail. "I know what happened. Hyrule is a thing of the past now. . . and so am I."  
  
"But. . . Then where are you going to stay, huh?" Tetra countered, becoming annoyed.  
  
The hero thought about this, then slightly smiled. "I'll stay here."  
  
"W-wha!?" Tetra didn't expect such an answer, and stared at the hero unbelievably, as did Link.  
  
"This place is the only thing left of home I have," he sighed. "It's the only place I belong."  
  
"B-but. . ." Tetra sighed.  
  
He knelt down by the two and held them with his strong arms, smiling. "You two are left with the task of forming this new world, molding it and creating it into a new kingdom." He gestured out to the wide open sea. "This world is yours to make. . . not mine." He stood and slowly ran his hand across the writing on the wall. "Perhaps if I stay here long enough, I can learn the secrets of the gods no other has yet to discover. I can't live in your world. . .but I can keep the Hylian tradition alive in this Tower of the Gods."  
  
The two stood and stared up at the hero, and they completely understood.  
  
"Well, if you ever change your mind--Oof!" Tetra stopped abruptly when Link elbowed her. She sighed in defeat and began her walk down the tower. Link stayed for a bit, though, looking up at the hero in awe. He looked down at Link, and smiled.  
  
"So, the Hero of Winds, hmm?" He bent down to Link's height. "I know of your bravery and deeds. You're indeed a great hero."  
  
Link smiled up at the Hero of Time. He placed a warm hand on Link's head gently.  
  
"Farewell then, Hero of Winds. . ."  
  
Link was left in astonishment and awe as he followed Tetra out of the tower. He had just met, spoke to, and touched the legendary Hero of Time, his very ancestor, who was better than any of the legends spoke of. He would remember this encounter as long as he lived.  
  
The pirate ship sailed away from the Tower of the Gods slowly. As Link and Tetra took one last glance back, they could here the large bells bellowing across the seas. The Hero of Time had become the keeper of the Tower of the Gods, and keeper of the old Hylian traditions, even in this new world.  
  
THE END  
  
A/N: Well? Whaddaya think? Great? Good? Okay? Bad? Terrible? Let me know. Well, if it's terrible, DON'T let me know. I don't want anymore flames. One is enough. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it, so review!!!! 


End file.
